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How to Restore NTLDR and Ntdetect.com From the Windows XP CD

Use the recovery console to restore NTLDR

By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on January 18, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide

What to Know

Boot from the Windows XP CD > select R key > choose Windows installation > enter administrator password.In the Command Prompt, enter copy d:\i386\ntldr c:\ then copy d:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\If prompted to overwrite, select Y key > remove disk > type exit > Enter. This article explains how to restore NTLDR and Ntdetect.com from the Windows XP CD. These steps apply only to Windows XP.

How to Restore NTLDR and Ntdetect com

Restoring the NTLDR and Ntdetect.com files from the Windows XP CD is easy and usually takes less than 15 minutes. Here's how to enter the Recovery Console and restore NTLDR and Ntdetect.com in Windows XP: Boot your computer from the Windows XP CD and press any key when you see Press any key to boot from CD. Wait while Windows XP begins the setup process. Don't press a function key even if you're prompted to do so. Press R when you see the Windows XP Professional Setup screen to enter the Recovery Console. Choose the Windows installation. You may only have one. Enter your administrator password. When you reach the Command Prompt, type the following two commands and press Enter after each one: copy d:\i386\ntldr c:\ copy d:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\ d represents the drive letter assigned to the optical drive that the CD is currently in. While this is most often d, your system could assign a different letter. c represents the root folder of the partition that Windows is currently installed on. Again, this is most often the case, but your system could be different. Substitute your drive information in the code if necessary. If you're prompted to overwrite either of the two files, press Y. Take out the disc, type exit, and then press Enter to restart your PC. Assuming that missing or corrupt versions of the NTLDR or Ntdetect.com files were your only problem, Windows XP should now start normally.

What Are NTLDR and Ntdetect com

The NTLDR and Ntdetect.com files are important system files that are used by your computer to start the Windows XP operating system. Sometimes these files can be damaged, corrupted or deleted. This is usually brought to your attention by the 'NTLDR is Missing' error message. Follow these steps to restore the damaged, corrupted, or missing NTLDR and Ntdetect.com files from the Windows XP CD using the Recovery Console. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Restore Hal.dll From the Windows XP CD How to Fix NTLDR Is Missing and Related NTLDR Errors Recovery Console: What It Is & a List of Commands How to Repair the Master Boot Record In Windows XP How to Write a New Partition Boot Sector for Windows XP How to Use the Format Command to Write Zeros to a Hard Drive How to Enter Windows XP Recovery Console [Easy, 15 Min] How to Repair or Replace Boot.ini in Windows XP [Easy] How to Format C From Recovery Console How to Remove Write Protection on a Micro SD Card How to use a System Repair Disc to Format the C Drive How to Fix Missing Hal.dll Errors in Windows XP How to Locate and Recover Data From Bad Sectors Copy Command (Examples, Options, Switches, and More) How to Format C From a Windows Disc [Easy, 15-20 Min] How to Fix 'BOOTMGR Is Missing' in Windows Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies